Degree of sociability and interactive behaviors in dyadic situations of problemproblem solving

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the sociability rating of children, their behavior during dyadic problem solving, and their subsequent level of individual performance. First, 200 children were assessed for their degree of sociability and their skill level on two spatial tasks. Eighty were then chosen to form 20 dyads of sociable children and 20 dyads of not-so-sociable children. The dyads were made up of two low-ability subjects (same-ability dyads) or one high-ability subject and one low-ability subject (mixed-ability dyads). It was hypothesized (1) that the sociable children would initiate collaboration more readily than the not-so-sociable ones, while the latter would exhibit more individualistic behaviors than the former, and (2) that sociable partner collaboration would help the sociable lowability children to progress significantly more than the not-so-sociable ones. The first hypothesis was validated. However, while the second hypothesis turned out to be true for the mixed-ability dyads, the not-so-sociable subjects in the same-ability dyads progressed as much as the sociable ones. This result is discussed in terms of multiple ways of processing.     

Expert-novice interactions: Influence of partner status

The aim of this study is to highlight the influence of the socio-relational context in expert-novice problem solving situation. We assume that a hole range of interactive organizations coexist and vary as a function of the asymmetry of the relationships affected by the mastery of the task and differences in partners status. Thirty six first graders aged 6;6 (18 hight achievers and 18 low achievers) were observed during a construction task. Hight achieving experts were assigned to low achieving novices and vice-versa. As predicted, when hight achieving status was associeted with task related expertise (reinforced asymmetry) the interactive dynamic was chiefly caracterised by guidance/tutoring. In contrast, when low achieving status was associated with task related expertise (counter balanced asymmetry), a variety of dynamics were abserved most of which were either cooperative or exhibited reverse guidance by the hight achieving novice. Guidance management by the experts also differed between the reinforced and counter balanced conditions. The findings argue for a pluridimensional approach to socio-cognitive modes of aquisition.